Otter Co-op has been serving members at the same approximate location in Langley for 100 years.
On Wednesday, Oct 19, the co-op celebrated its anniversary at the Langley retail centre at 3650 248th Street with live music, food trucks and other attractions from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Co-op Chief Executive Officer Jack Nicholson was B次元官网网址渧ery proudB次元官网网址 to be celebrating the occasion, noting only a very small percentage of businesses make it to 100 years.
To mark the milestone, Nicholson said Otter was planning to distribute $100,000 to 100 deserving groups, who will be named later this month. ThatB次元官网网址檚 in addition to the more than $400,000 Otter already raises each year through donations, sponsorship and grants.
Otter board of directors president Charlie Fox said it was a B次元官网网址減retty rare thingB次元官网网址 for a business to last 100 years, and still be in roughly the same location where it first started.
From B次元官网网址渉umble beginningsB次元官网网址 as a farmer-founded cooperative, Fox said Otter has grown to where it will take in $400 million this year.
On Oct. 14th, as it does every years the Co-op distributed profits to Otter members in cash and equity for their 2021 purchases. This year it totalled $5.9 million.
Fox attributed the success to what he described as the B次元官网网址渇our FB次元官网网址檚.B次元官网网址
B次元官网网址淔ood, farm and feed, fuel, and fine spirits,B次元官网网址 Fox said.
Among the well-wishers who spoke, Elvizio Del Bianco from the British Columbia Co-op Association said co-ops are B次元官网网址渞esilientB次元官网网址 B次元官网网址 twice as likely to survive compared to other businesses, and they do it by providing B次元官网网址渁 real and democratic alternative to extractive corporations.B次元官网网址
Township mayor Jack Froese, a long-time Otter member, talked about the social aspects of belonging to a co-op, saying B次元官网网址渢his isnB次元官网网址檛 just a retail store where you go an buy things, itB次元官网网址檚 a community where you go to meet friends.B次元官网网址
Froese presented Nicholson with a certificate from the municipality, thanking Otter for B次元官网网址100 years of service and leadership in the community.B次元官网网址
MP Tako van Popta sent a message wishing the co-op a B次元官网网址渉appy birthday,B次元官网网址 and calling the anniversary a B次元官网网址渟ignificant milestone.B次元官网网址
Opening with a blessing from Kwantlen First NationB次元官网网址檚 Kevin Kelly and son Michael Kelly Gabriel, the event included live music by the NiTeHawks, a giant birthday cake, food trucks along with childrenB次元官网网址檚 games and a petting zoo by Aldor Acres.
A time capsule buried at the site in the 1980B次元官网网址檚 was opened for the occasion, and proved something of a disappointment, with the discovery that water seepage had destroyed the photos and documents tucked away inside the length of pipe.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 make it out,B次元官网网址 Fox said, as he tried to separate some newspaper pages, so rotted it was impossible to identify the publisher.
Only a mildewed Otter baseball cap and pen, two corroded coins and what might have been a flyer for the co-op from that era survived.
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Otter Co-op operates from locations throughout the Lower Mainland and Okanagan, including three grocery and pharmacy stores, clothing and hardware stores, 26 Angry Otter liquor stores, two feed mills, a feed and Hardware store, two gas stations and 35 gas stations/convenience stores.
Holding include the Angry Otter Tap & Forno, the Angry Otter Brewery in North Vancouver and the Highwayman Pub in Abbotsford.
More images from the birthday party can be seen online at the .
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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